Dan’s Draft Overview

So how’d the Jets do over the three day draft process? Let’s take a closer look at the Gang Green’s work during the NFL Selection Meeting.

Let’s start from the end of the draft and move forward.

Seventh-round nose tackle Deon Simon has enormous potential, but probably needs a year on the practice squad. The 6-4, 321-pound graduate of Northwestern State of Louisiana, is a powerhouse with a strong lower base. He bench-pressed 225, 35-times at the combine, which is very good. But he needs a ton of work on his technique and conditioning. In a year, the Jets could have something here.

Fifth-round pick, guard Jarvis Harrison is a second-third round talent who slipped because his motor runs hot and cold. If Todd Bowles, and the Jets’ offensive line coach, Steve Marshall, can keep him motivated, this pick could be a steal. He moves really well for a 6-4, 330-pounder, but clearly there is a little bit of an attitudinal issue that needs to be fixed. I don’t like to make a big deal about press conferences, because they don’t mean much in the big picture, but during his conference call with Jets reporters, he sounded disinterested. This should have been one of the best moments of his life, and he sounded like he like he’d rather get root canal than talk to us.

The Jets’ fourth-round pick makes a lot of sense. Bryce Petty is the perfect developmental QB for the Jets. He needs a year or two to be weaned off the Baylor spread offense, but with his arm, smarts, size and work ethic, there is a good chance he can do it, and challenge for a starting job down the road.

Finally after rushing Mark Sanchez and Geno Smith into action from the get-go, the Jets will have a chance to develop a QB the right way, and this could bare fruit down the pike.

I think third-round pick Lorenzo Mauldin can help the Jets, but he’s probably never going to be a double-digit sack player due his lack of ideal speed and explosion, but he could be a 7-8 sack guy, and he will give you all he’s got on every play.

Second-round pick, WR Devin Smith, is a project with world class speed. While he’s got a lot of talent, I would have taken a rush linebacker here. And honestly, if the Jets quarterback position doesn’t start going through reads better, and getting third, fourth and fifth options more involved, the Jets adding more weapons isn’t going to matter much.

First-round pick Leonard Williams was the best player in the draft, and I think the five teams that picked ahead of the Jets, will rue the day they passed on him.

So in closing, to me, the success of this draft will hinge on Williams and Petty. If Williams is a poor man’s Reggie White, as some people think he can be, that will be huge for the Jets. And if Petty, after a red-shirt year or two, can emerge as a starting quarterback option, that will be a major boon to the Jets.

March 2, 2015

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